synthetic pesticides are widely used to control plant pathogens, weeds, and insect
pests. Most widely used pesticides include phorate, simazine pendimethalin, malathion, glyphosate, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, diazinon, methyl parathion,
mancozeb, and carbendazim (Moneke et al. 2010). Fifty-seven thousand metric tons
of chemical pesticides was used in India, while only 6340 metric tons of
bio-pesticides was consumed during 2016–2017 (www.ppgs.gov.in/divisions/pesti
cides-monitoring-documentation). Usually, very low fraction (only 10–15%) of the
applied pesticides are utilized in killing of target pests, and the leftover residual
pesticides either leach down in soil or remain associated with grains, vegetables, and
fruits (Sogorb et al. 2004; Jiang et al. 2019), which became a global pollution
problem (Wang et al. 2016a; Rayu et al. 2017). Insecticides, especially organochlorine and organophosphates, enter any fresh water bodies through agricultural run-off
(Karunya and Saranraj 2014). Many recalcitrant pesticides accumulate in the soil and
migrate through the soil, into various environmental components such as air and
surface water, directly or indirectly endangering human health and the environment
(Bisht et al. 2019).
Chlorinated pesticides, especially chloroaromatics, contribute to pollution problems because of their recalcitrant nature. Therefore, the use of organochlorine
pesticides such as 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-p-chlorophenylethane (DDT) and lindane
has been banned or drastically reduced in developed countries due to prolonged
persistence, prone to bioaccumulation and toxic to nontarget organisms. Similarly,
endosulfan binds to soil particles and has a relatively long shelf life of 60–800 days.
Recently, these recalcitrant compounds have been replaced by less persistent and
more effective pesticide compounds belonging to chemical classes such as the
organophosphates, carbamates, and synthetic pyrethroids, which are easily biodegradable and pose less environmental hazards.
Pesticide use in modern agriculture increases the quantity of pesticide residues in
vegetables, grains, and cereals and the development of pest resistance, which has led
to many problems (Fig. 2.1). Irregular and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides
in the crop system can contaminate soil, water, and air, as well as reduce soil
microflora and fauna (Mwangi et al. 2010; Martin et al. 2011; Chauhan and Singh
2015). Excess bio-pollution and pesticide residues in the food chain and water have
been found to cause carcinogenesis, neurotoxicity, and reproductive disorders
(Burrows et al. 2002; Prüss-Ustün et al. 2011; Myers et al. 2016). Additionally,
the accumulation of these contaminants in the soil not only adversely affects
microorganisms and populations but also has hazardous effects on human health
(Prashar et al. 2014; Wang et al. 2016a; Walia et al. 2018).
Therapeutic technologies in the remediation of pesticides have been developed
with adaptation, oxidation, catalytic degradation, membrane filtration, and bioremediation treatment as well as a number of physical, chemical, and biological methods
(Smith et al. 2004; Li et al. 2010b; Rani et al. 2017). But microbial-mediated
pesticide diminution is the primary mechanism for remediation and detoxification
of contaminants (Sindhu et al. 2014; Akbar and Sultan 2016; Javaid et al. 2016).
Therefore, soil microbial communities are of great importance due to their multiple
attenuation capabilities (Das and Chandran 2011; Dechesne et al. 2014) (Fig. 2.2).
2 Bioremediation of Pesticides: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Environment. . .
25
pests. Most widely used pesticides include phorate, simazine pendimethalin, malathion, glyphosate, carbofuran, chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, diazinon, methyl parathion,
mancozeb, and carbendazim (Moneke et al. 2010). Fifty-seven thousand metric tons
of chemical pesticides was used in India, while only 6340 metric tons of
bio-pesticides was consumed during 2016–2017 (www.ppgs.gov.in/divisions/pesti
cides-monitoring-documentation). Usually, very low fraction (only 10–15%) of the
applied pesticides are utilized in killing of target pests, and the leftover residual
pesticides either leach down in soil or remain associated with grains, vegetables, and
fruits (Sogorb et al. 2004; Jiang et al. 2019), which became a global pollution
problem (Wang et al. 2016a; Rayu et al. 2017). Insecticides, especially organochlorine and organophosphates, enter any fresh water bodies through agricultural run-off
(Karunya and Saranraj 2014). Many recalcitrant pesticides accumulate in the soil and
migrate through the soil, into various environmental components such as air and
surface water, directly or indirectly endangering human health and the environment
(Bisht et al. 2019).
Chlorinated pesticides, especially chloroaromatics, contribute to pollution problems because of their recalcitrant nature. Therefore, the use of organochlorine
pesticides such as 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis-p-chlorophenylethane (DDT) and lindane
has been banned or drastically reduced in developed countries due to prolonged
persistence, prone to bioaccumulation and toxic to nontarget organisms. Similarly,
endosulfan binds to soil particles and has a relatively long shelf life of 60–800 days.
Recently, these recalcitrant compounds have been replaced by less persistent and
more effective pesticide compounds belonging to chemical classes such as the
organophosphates, carbamates, and synthetic pyrethroids, which are easily biodegradable and pose less environmental hazards.
Pesticide use in modern agriculture increases the quantity of pesticide residues in
vegetables, grains, and cereals and the development of pest resistance, which has led
to many problems (Fig. 2.1). Irregular and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides
in the crop system can contaminate soil, water, and air, as well as reduce soil
microflora and fauna (Mwangi et al. 2010; Martin et al. 2011; Chauhan and Singh
2015). Excess bio-pollution and pesticide residues in the food chain and water have
been found to cause carcinogenesis, neurotoxicity, and reproductive disorders
(Burrows et al. 2002; Prüss-Ustün et al. 2011; Myers et al. 2016). Additionally,
the accumulation of these contaminants in the soil not only adversely affects
microorganisms and populations but also has hazardous effects on human health
(Prashar et al. 2014; Wang et al. 2016a; Walia et al. 2018).
Therapeutic technologies in the remediation of pesticides have been developed
with adaptation, oxidation, catalytic degradation, membrane filtration, and bioremediation treatment as well as a number of physical, chemical, and biological methods
(Smith et al. 2004; Li et al. 2010b; Rani et al. 2017). But microbial-mediated
pesticide diminution is the primary mechanism for remediation and detoxification
of contaminants (Sindhu et al. 2014; Akbar and Sultan 2016; Javaid et al. 2016).
Therefore, soil microbial communities are of great importance due to their multiple
attenuation capabilities (Das and Chandran 2011; Dechesne et al. 2014) (Fig. 2.2).
2 Bioremediation of Pesticides: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Environment. . .
25